The Tradition of A Ring
by MidnightBlueDragon
Summary: The Hyotei tennis team has a tradition that the second years must find their "true love" before one month is up or they are kicked off the team. Now Ootori and Hiyoshi both need to secure their regular positions and they only have one month to do so.
1. You have to! It's tradition!

**Disclaimer: i do not own anything.**

**Another new story...eh, i need to stop doing this...**

**Anyways, please review! **

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Chapter

**1: You have to! It's tradition!**

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The day after winter break ended was a very important day. It signaled the first day of school in the new year. It also signaled the first day of the second semester. But for the Hyotei tennis regulars it symbolized something far more important. It symbolized the continuation of a tradition.

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"I really hate school," Mukahi mumbled as he stepped foot in the school building after a long, pleasant break.

"Mukahi, you really should be more optimistic," Oshitari smirked. "After all, today will be very entertaining.

Mukahi brightened up when he realized what the blue haired tensai was talking about. "At least we'll get some entertainment in the upcoming days. Plus, it'll be hilarious to see their expression when Atobe breaks the news to them."

"Do you think they'll do it?" Oshitari asked with a sly smirk.

"Knowing them, after a couple of protests, they will," Mukahi grinned. "Just like when it was Shishido."

"Ah, yes I remember that. But we didn't get to enjoy it that year," Oshitari recalled.

"Yeah, but I'll never forget Shishido's expression," Mukahi smirked.

"I'll never forget your expression," Oshitari replied slyly.

"Hey!" Mukahi scowled. "What Atobe said took me by surprise!"

"It took us all by surprise," Oshitari retorted smugly. "Except for me of course."

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"Mukahi-sempai, you're creeping me out," Hiyoshi stated, glaring at the pink head. "You're too hype today."

"No, I'm not," Mukahi grinned widely.

"Mukahi-sempai," Ootori tried this time. "Did something happen?"

The fact was that the two second years had been eating lunch when Mukahi joined them mysteriously and started grinning and cackling like he was on crack. The two also had noticed that the rest of the third years were also happier than usual. They had tried asking Kabaji what was up with Atobe who smirked every time he saw one of them that day. It wasn't the usually 'Be awed, ore-sama is better than you' smirk. No, it was the 'I know something that's going to torture you later' smirk. However, their efforts were in vain because all they got was an 'usu' which proved to be absolutely no help whatsoever.

"No, why do you ask?" Mukahi asked, unconsciously chuckling to himself.

"Because you're acting different today," Ootori persisted.

"No, I'm not," Mukahi rolled his eyes, still grinning. "Maybe you're acting different today so that's why I seem to be acting different to you."

Now this confused the two second years greatly so they were forced to pause in their 'quest' to figure out what the third year had just said.

Just arriving at the scene, Shishido sighed before smacking Mukahi upside the head, "Stop making them stupid." Then glancing at the crazy redhead, he added, "And stop creeping them out."

"Shut up, Shishido," Mukahi glared. The brunette had just ruined his mood. The two second years were relieved at this because they didn't have to deal with the crazy/happy sempai. "What do you want anyways?"

"Atobe wants to talk to you," Shishido simply said. Mukahi nodded as he stood up and the two third years departed.

"That was strange," Hiyoshi commented and Ootori nodded in agreement.

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"Shishido-san, do you want to get something to eat?" Ootori inquired as he and his double's partner entered the clubroom after practice.

"I don't think you'll have the stomach once Atobe is done with his speech," Shishido replied, balancing his tennis racket on his finger.

"Atobe-buchou's speeches aren't that bad," Ootori stated as nice as he could.

"It's not going to be that kind of speech," Shishido added. "Just wait and see."

"Ootori, Hiyoshi, please take a seat," Oshitari calmly ordered. "Atobe wants to address you."

Confused, the two second years took a seat on one of the couches of the clubroom. Shishido took a seat on the arm of the chair, Jirou was wide awake in an armchair, Mukahi was sitting on the table, Atobe was standing in the front of the room, and Kabaji and Oshitari were standing on either sides of the captain.

"I am very pleased to announce," Atobe began, "that you two have successfully reached the second semester of being second years on the tennis team. But, although you have proved yourself worthy on the tennis courts, you still haven't officially become regulars on the tennis team."

"What the hell are you talking about?" Hiyoshi demanded, rudely interrupting. Mukahi snickered which caused Hiyoshi to send him a death glare.

"You will become an official regular once you pass this test, as we like to call it," Atobe continued, ignoring the outburst. "You have one month to find the girl of your dreams and give her a custom made ring which will symbolize your love."

"What the hell!?" Hiyoshi repeated, nearly falling out of his seat in shock.

"But, Atobe-san, how are we supposed to fall in love, let in alone make someone else fall in love with us, in only a month?" Ootori asked, trying to be polite.

"It's really easy!" Jirou chirped happily.

"Anyways," Shishido added, "we all had to do it when we were second years."

"It's a tradition," Oshitari smirked sadistically.

"Who the heck came up with that stupid tradition?" Hiyoshi demanded angrily.

All eyes went to the front of the room.

"Yeah, who came up with it?" Shishido asked, realizing that it was a question that they didn't ask before.

"My older brother," Oshitari explained. "And it had been continued for ten years. This will the eleventh, so Hiyoshi, don't screw it up."

"Shut up," Hiyoshi growled. "When I get a hold of your brother, I'm gonna…" The rest was so low that no one else heard it.

"But, why doesn't Kabaji have to do it?" Ootori inquired. "I mean, he's a second year too."

"I allowed Kabaji to do it last year since he had already found his love but she was moving away to England," Atobe explained, tiresomely.

"Wait, how did Kabaji get a girlfriend?!" Mukahi and Shishido yelled, shocked. Obviously, they hadn't heard about this earlier.

"That's beside the point," Atobe waved the question off. Kabaji merely shrugged modestly.

"No it's not!" Mukahi and Shishido yelled again but were ignored.

"You month starts today," Atobe finished. "Good luck, and have fun."

"I hate you," Hiyoshi sneered in Atobe's face. He had finally given in after seeing that he had absolutely no other choice. He stormed out the room, but not before stomping on Atobe's foot.

"He stepped on my glorious foot!" Atobe whined as he clutched the paining foot. "YOU HAVE TWO HUNDRED LAPS, BOY!"

"I don't think that he can hear you," Shishido snickered. Mukahi was laughing his butt off.

Atobe glared before realizing that his foot still hurt, "KABAJI! Get me some pain reliever, now-OWWWWWWWWW!"


	2. Help Offerings

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything!**

**I hope you enjoy this chapter and don't forget to review!**

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Chapter 2: Help Offerings

"So what do we do?" Ootori asked. After they had been informed of the Hyotei tennis team tradition, the two had headed to Hiyoshi's house.

"Plan A," Hiyoshi said as he brought out a thick manila folder with a lot of papers inside.

"You had that ready?" Ootori questioned as he eyed the file.

"I like to be ready for every stupid thing that Atobe comes up with," Hiyoshi shrugged.

"What is Plan A, anyways?" Ootori inquired in hopes that it could actually help them.

"Plan A is that we find two girls who we can pay to act as our girlfriends," Hiyoshi explained.

"That won't work because Atone-sempai will probably find out somehow or another. He has eyes all over the school," Ootori pointed out.

"There's Plan B: we threaten him that next year the team won't have a strong captain and vice-captain if he kicks us off the team," Hiyoshi suggested.

"I don't think that Atobe would care," Ootori stated.

"Yeah, and he'll probably just make Kabaji captain and control him from the sidelines."

"He can do that?"

Hiyoshi nodded, "Yeah, but he's too stupid to realize it yet."

"Is there a plan C?"

"Yeah, we actually continue the damn tradition."

"Not good," Ootori looked exasperated. "Any other plan?"

"Yeah, there's a plan D. We commit mutual suicide."

"WE CAN'T DO THAT!" Ootori yelled in shock, waving his hands around.

"Just was a suggestion," Hiyoshi shrugged. "It's not like we have a better plan."

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Tennis practice had just ended and the regulars were filing into the locker room. Ootori and Hiyoshi, who both were faster than others, were first to finish. As they exited the room, their way was blocked by two of the third year regulars.

"So did you get anything done yesterday?" Shishido asked the two second years.

Ootori shook his head. "We got nothing."

Oshitari and Shishido looked at each other before Oshitari spoke, "Well, I suppose I could help you two out."

"Really?" Ootori looked full of hope while Hiyoshi just crossed his arms and arched an eyebrow.

"Yes, my cousin owns a restaurant. Every now and then there is a thing called speed dating where you get a taste of a couple of woman and then you can choose which one is your match," Oshitari explained with a sly smirk.

"No way, I don't need your damn help," Hiyoshi scowled before walking off. He was holding a grudge against the third year regulars.

"Will it help?" Ootori asked uncertainly.

"Yes," Oshitari smirked.

"No," Shishido interrupted.

"I think I'll give it a try," Ootori finally agreed after he saw that he really didn't have another choice.

"Ugh, I'll come with you just to make sure Oshitari doesn't do anything to scar you for life," Shishido sighed irritably.

"Excellent. And lucky for you, there's another one of the events tomorrow night," Oshitari smirked. "Don't forget your charm."

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Yanagi Reina glanced around the park. A smile graced her lips when she spotted the orange haired boy she was looking for sulking on the swings. Skipping over to him, she plopped down on the swing next to him. "What's up, Yoshi?"

"Don't call me that," he scowled.

"99 percent chance you're pissed at something else," Reina stated as she began to swing back and forth slowly.

"A hundred percent chance you're right," Hiyoshi grumbled.

"So, tell me?" Reina urged.

"What, you don't know? I thought you knew everything," Hiyoshi mocked.

"Shut up and spill it," Reina stopped swinging, opened her eyes, and glared at the boy.

"There's this…" Hiyoshi hesitated. "…er…tradition…"

"Oh, you mean the not so secret tradition of Hyotei?" Reina cut him off.

"Wait, how do you know about it?" Hiyoshi asked; Reina gave him a look. "Oh, yeah, don't ask."

"Good, you've finally learned after all these years we've known each other," Reina looked quite satisfied. "I'm going to help you!"

"And how do you propose to do that?" Hiyoshi inquired.

"Well," Reina thought for a moment. "What do you want in a girl?"

"I don't know," Hiyoshi shrugged.

"This might be difficult," she bit her lip. "We'll have to so some tests."

"I really don't like the sound of that," Hiyoshi groaned.

"Too bad," Reina brightened up, smirking evilly. "Because from now on, your situation is in my hands!"

"Joy," Hiyoshi mumbled sarcastically. Although he knew he would soon regret her help, he didn't dare refuse some useful help.

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